Demons of Flesh and Metal Revival
by BreAnna M. Higgins
Summary: Being invited to work with a secretive government agency is a privilege, but a dangerous one at that. For mechanic and tech guru Bonny Moore it gets a lot harder when her new coworkers are Cybertronian behemoths that she's supposed to help repair and keep in check. Revisiting Demons of Flesh and Metal.
1. Letter

A shriek sent birds flying into the air, chirping and cawing in distress. The origin of that sound was a woman standing by her mailbox, a letter clutched within sweating and trembling hands. Her green eyes scanned over the sheet repeatedly, picking up words here and there, her face turning bright red. While it registered in her mind what it said, it wasn't going all the way through. "No way… this can't be real." The official emblem at the top of the page was a cow skull in a triangle, bold capital letters spelt out N.E.S.T., this had to be real. It had to be.

Who else would be sending a letter like this to her than the real deal. She was so glad she lived near the summit of a mountain. No neighbors to see anything weird going on. An odd looking robot bumped into her heels. "Ow!" She glanced down and glared at him, moving to kick him away when he transformed into an RC monster truck and stormed off, laughter rattling his chassis. She shook her head, grinning to herself as she returned her focus to the letter. They hadn't specified why she was being invited but she could guess. "Well, Bonny, looks like we've got to start packing!" The woman mumbled to herself, leaning down to pick up the scattered mail that she had dropped in order to read the letter.

There really wasn't much information. It gave the address of the Department of Health and Human Services, a time, and a brief outline of a possible position within the facility. It also asked that she brought along any unusual technology she had created. Specifically the prototype RC monster truck. Bonny watched as the robot rolled himself around in the yard. He wasn't her prototype, he was a living being.

She could still remember the night he came to her. That had been, what? Seven years ago now? She hummed softly, walking over and scooping the mech up, "Come on, playtime's over. We've got to get packing." The creature whined, shifting from a truck to a humanoid form. "Why do I have to pack anything, huh? I'm not your maid!"

Bonny scoffed at him, "Hyperdrive you live here too. You're going to do your part or I'm going to put a muzzle on you when we go meet you know who." She teased him. She'd never actually do it, though the image of him in a muzzle was amusing. Once they got inside she sat him down. "Now pack up the harddrives and the main laptop. I don't want even a scrap of data left in this house while we're in D.C., I've got to go buy a plane ticket, I'm not about to drive there.."

Bonny stretched, heading up the stairs as she listened to him grumbling about no good spoiled humans. She chuckled, focusing on the treads of the stairs as she walked up, feeling the carpet under her feet. This was going to be the last time she actually went up these stairs. She wouldn't be coming back here. With a huff she pushed the door open to her room. It was sparse save for a picture of a man that smiled at her from her dresser.

Bonny couldn't help but smile back at the image of the blonde haired rouge. "Hey, Pops. It's finally happening you know. We're going to get to see the Autobots. Maybe even some Decepticons, or at least their tech." She explained to the picture, while she dropped to her knees and reached under her bed for her suitcase. "I dunno if they're going to let us leave after we get there, but I hope that we'll at least get to help out. Learn some new stuff." She tossed it on her bed before opening and closing drawers, tossing clothes into the case as she went.

"I'm not much for the military. Not since you left us, but I guess we'll just… have to deal with that as it comes. I'm not passing this up." There was an emptiness to her home. Save for that one picture it was absent of anything resembling family or personality. She could pack up and leave at a moment's notice and not give two fucks about leaving anything behind. Her reflection sported the image of a tired looking woman. Dark circles under her eyes with unkempt hair. She'd have to do something about that once she was packed. Shower, brush teeth, then pack those things up too. Maybe smear on some makeup, but she wasn't all that good at doing that. Usually it ended up looking like a third grader smeared some lipstick on. With a sigh, she moved along grabbing the picture of her dad and tucking it into her suitcase as well.

It didn't take long to order her plane ticket, going for a first class experience seeing as she'd never be able to do that again if the feeling in her stomach was correct. It was like a tight knot. If she didn't go she had no doubt that the military would come busting down her door. And if she did go… there was no telling what would happen. At worst they'd take Hype away from her. That thought made her feel ill.

Bonny stripped and turned on the shower, letting it steam up before she stepped in and relaxed, her hands running through her hair as she got it wet. It felt so nice to have water drip down her face. Slowly her hands moved from her hair to the bumpy scars across her midriff. "I wonder what they'll be like? Are they really as big as he's told me they are? If God created us in his image… what the hell created them?"

A groan escaped her lips as she rubbed her face in frustrated excitement. What kind marvels would she find there? Or was this just a scheme to take the one good thing she had left in her life? No. That wasn't going to happen. They needed people that were specialized in the mechanics and engineering behind the Cybertronian race. Hyperdrive was a huge thanks in that regard. A real blessing in disguise. Heavy disguise with the way he usually acted. "HEY BONNY, I'M DONE PACKING. HURRY THE FUCK UP."

She pursed her lips. Heavy disguise indeed. "I'm coming I'm coming! Christ, you'd think you were the woman here." It didn't take long to finish washing and put on something. The flight from Colorado to D.C. was going to be long and obnoxious. But first class made the prospect better. Even if it did take a huge chunk of her savings. It wasn't like she'd need it anymore.

"Where's the cat carrier?" She put her hands on her hips once she came down the stairs with her suitcase. She'd dressed very unprofessionally for the flight, t-shirt and sweatpants, but it wasn't like she actually owned anything fancy. She had some slacks and a polo in her bag to change into, but the tattered sneakers she had on were just about it. "And you're sure you packed up everything, degrees included? Cause we can't leave without those."

The mech whined, "I got everything, but… Man do I really have to go in that stupid cat carrier?"

"Would you rather I packed you in the suitcase?"

"No…" He was pouting, wheeling back and forth.

"Alright, then quit complaining and go pull it out of wherever you hid it." The being gave a metallic groan, his processors clicking in irritation as he rolled to where he had hidden the cat carrier, tugging it out from under a pile of miscellaneous scrap parts. They clattered to the floor causing the young woman to pinch the bridge of her nose.

"I'm okay!" He called out from under the fallen objects, shoving it off of himself as he drug out the carrier. Bonny pinched the bridge of her nose before she gathered up the other bags and had him carry the crate to the car.

"Now remember, don't say a word, don't move a servo, don't even blink. Not until we're safely there. You've gotta make them think you're just a toy that I'm overprotective of." She settled the equipment down in the backseat of the car before helping him inside of the carrier. "You can stay in this form until we get to the airport but then you have to shift. This flight leaves in about an hour, and you'll be stuck down there for about 3 hours or so. When we land we have to report directly to the Department of Health and Human Services." She gave his head a little pet, "You think you can do all that?"

"Yeah, shouldn't be too hard. You remembered to get a rental car right?"

Her face turned red, "AH… nope. Forgot that one."

It was his turn to shake his head at her, "I'll get one. Yeesh. You're so unprepared, Bonny."

"Oh please. At least I remembered to pack my underwear. Usually I forget that stuff. And I got my toothbrush!" She stuck her tongue out at him, making one last check of her equipment before she started the engine and began driving down the mountain to the airport.

She dialed the number from her car's touchscreen, her all was almost immediately answered. "Hello? This is Bonny Moore, I'm calling in response to your letter. I'm currently on my way to the airport."

"Please hold, we're connecting you to a secure line." The man that answered sounded bored with his life in general. She could practically see him rolling his eyes.

"Oh fancy. A secure line, Hype."

The tiny mech gave a groan. She could almost see his optics rolling. "Yeah, real fancy while I'm in a cat carrier. Bet the Autobots don't go around in cat carriers."

"Oh hush, you know it's so we can get you on the plane."

There was a beep from the line as it was switched over, "Hello, Miss Moore? This is Lieutenant Colonel Lennox speaking. How are you today?"

"Uh… Pretty good all things considered. I'm actually heading to the airport and I just wanted to confirm the time and place… and um… why I'm going? This has to do with Cybertronians, right?"

"You… certainly are well informed."

"Thanks. I've got a loudmouth that won't shut up about his species." She glanced at Hype as she put on her blinker, smirking down at the bot.

"Hey! Man that's not cool." The crate rattled about as he got more frustrated.

"Settle down, I'm just teasing you." She chided Hype.

Lennox cleared his throat, "Right, so, you currently have an Autobot in your custody. Correct?" She could hear him shuffling through some paperwork, "And you've also been working towards doctorates in engineering and science."

"Yes, working towards being the key term seeing as papers on the science and mechanical engineering of Cybertronian species in relation to how that same tech can be put to use in a human capacity is frowned upon, with it being a big national security thing and all. Though I doubt my scholarly pursuits were what brought you to me."

"No, you are correct in that assumption. I'd like to offer you a position working under one of our Autobots. He does all of their maintenance and repair on his comrades but we need someone who can understand his jargon and assist him in procedures. You and your autobot are just the ones for such a job. He seems to be much more.. uh… domesticated."

Hyperdrive freaked out at that, "Domesticated? Domesticated!?" the carrier he was in nearly popped open, "Who the fuck are you talking to, fleshbag?! I'll rip you open."

Her words were bit out, frustration overcoming her usually calm demeanor. "Hype! I swear to the powers-that-be if you don't shut your trap I will shut it for you. You know I keep a welder in this car now shh. The man meant that you're able to understand humans better that your counterparts seeing as you've lived with me for so damn long. Now show some respect for the Colonel."

Lennox was having a hard time keeping from laughing, there were other voices in the background of the call, "Okay, okay, I've heard enough, you two will fit in just fine around here, trust me. Alright. We'll be sending a team along to meet you at the airport. Is there anything you need on our end?"

"Steady pay and lodgings. Preferably somewhere that I can keep building things. I've got all of the belongings I really need with me. The possessions in my old place can be… I dunno sold off or whatever. It'd be a lot to ship to D.C. at any rate."

"Don't worry about that, we'll get you all set up on our end. So relax on your flight. Your life is about to get very hectic. We'll see you when you arrive."

"Alright then. Goodbye Colonel. And randos in the background." She ended the call, smiling to herself, "Well they seemed nice."

"Seemed like losers to me." He grumbled. "Fuckin' losers."

"Oh please. Watch you end up as best buds with most of them."

"Watch me kick him in the nuts."

"Jesus Christ have you been watching South Park again?"

"...no…"

"Oh my gods, seriously? I banned that show because it's giving you garbage mouth."

"I do what I want, woman."

She pursed her lips, casting him a withering glare. "Keep talking. I dare you."

Hyperdrive shrank back from her look, falling silent. He remained that way for the remainder of the thirty minute drive to the airport. Bonny parked a good ways away from the airport in a public lot. She wouldn't be coming back to her car again so it was best that it didn't incur any fines. "Shift now so I can hurry up and get to this flight." Bonny got out of the car and started grabbing up her bags. This was too much to carry for very long but she had to get it all there. Gods forbid if these laptops got into the wrong hands. Bonny tied her duffle bag of harddrives to her actual suitcase with bungee cords so she wouldn't have to carry them both and Hyperdrive's carrier.

The walk was long, but worth it to clear her head. Walking into the building the cold air blasting her sent a shiver down her spine. Maybe she should have brought a jacket with her? She forgot how cold buildings like this kept the AC. She made her way to a kiosk to print out her ticket, chewing at her bottom lip. Bonny was starting to feel a little nervous about this. What if they said that Hype wasn't allowed on board with her? What if she was detained and Hype was taken away from her and hurt? What if they hurt him?! Bonny breathed in through her nose, struggling to settle her thoughts. To rein them back in. There was nothing to worry about. N.E.S.T. probably had all of that covered.

They walked in, she had her head held high, even though her knuckles were white as she held onto his crate. Her heart was in her throat, oh Christ she should have just drove. If they did that they'd never have to go through T.S.A. or anything like that. Bonny was held back because of her license. It wasn't one of those new ones that apparently they needed now to fly domestically.

Thankfully some officers, following orders from N.E.S.T., were already there and waiting to escort her through, letting her bypass security and board the plane first, though there was still a wait of a few hours. That was a nice change of pace over having to wait in line for ages, get felt up, and then made to wait for even longer to actually board the flight. She relaxed in her first class seat. Money well spent, "Ah, this is the life. I guess this is what rich people must feel like every day."

"Champagne?" A steward offered her.

With a raised brow she took the flute from him, "Thank you." This felt like a celebration of sorts. Silently she toasted her father. He had to be proud of her in that moment. At least she hoped he was. She missed the old man. Bonny stared at the bubbles in her glass, watching as they floated to the top and popped. Maybe they'd have some answers as to how he died. They hadn't gotten much back from the military. Just some scorched patches, his tags, and a half melted wedding ring which dangled around her neck along with her mother's rings.

The woman hadn't been able to handle her husband's death and the thought of raising a child alone. So she took her own life. Bonny tore her eyes away from the glass and out the window as the plane started moving and took to the air. There was no point in analyzing the past. At least not right now. What did it even matter? Certainly those events had shaped her life and brought her to this point, but they weren't going to dictate her life from here onward. There wasn't anything special about those events. It could have happened to anyone.

She drained the glass and set it aside, reclining in her seat. Bonny opened the door to Hype's carrier and just check on him. He flashed his lights but otherwise stayed still, "We'll be there soon. Don't do anything funny." Her voice was stern, even though she had a grin on her face. Part of her kind of hope he did do something just to give the fancy rich people on the flight a scare, but that wasn't very nice.

The time ticked by agonizingly slow. She surfed through her phone, messaging Hype back and forth as they bickered over what they would really be doing with N.E.S.T. Bonny was certain it wasn't going to be anything fishy. 90% certain at least. Whereas Hype was almost 100% certain it was a rouse that would just lead to them being separated and her killed or worse. Bonny rolled her eyes at that message. What did he think this was? The U.S.S.R.? That kind of shit did not happen in America. Did it?

Look, I know you've been looking at conspiracy theories again, but I sincerely doubt that will happen. And even if it did it's not like anyone is going to miss me. If anything they'd just keep me alive to work on you guys. You really think that they would lose one of the best in this field to what..? Me ratting y'all out or some shit? That would never happen.

Valuable asset or not that also makes you a target for the decepticons. You can't forget that either.

What would the decepticons want with a human? They hate humans

They'd do anything if it meant an upperhand, even if that was taking a human to work for them. It's happened before.

Oh please, I'm not that much of an asset, though I'm flattered that you think soooo highly of me.

Come on, Bon, I'm being serious. You know a lot about us. Probably more than most of us even know. At least about our biology.

Even if that's so, I really doubt that I'm even on their radar. Nobody is going to come looking for me. N.E.S.T. knows about me because I tried to get some information from my colleagues in the science community about more specimens like you.

Yeah, but if they know about you, so do the 'cons.

You're jumping at shadows, Hype.

Am I? Or are you just in denial?

Bonny put her phone down at that, her face red as she tried to think of a good response, but she had none. He was right. As hard as it was to admit it. They probably already had her on their radar, though she didn't think that there was any on the plane with her she wouldn't have been surprised if she was being monitored. Even if it was through her cell.

She tried to shove that new bubble of anxiety as far down as she could. It wouldn't do her any good to panic now. Especially not at 35,000 feet. There was absolutely no way she was going to panic now.

She cast a glare at the mech, somehow all of these doubts were his fault. "Little asshole." She grumbled, folding her arms over her chest. This was going to be such a long day. She rubbed her forehead, taking a deep breath. A long ass day.

She leaned against the window, gazing down at the landscape below. Maybe it wouldn't be terrifying, maybe they'd actually be able to do something to help. Bonny closed her eyes, getting settled to take a nap. They'd be in D.C. before they knew it.


	2. High Altitude Nightmare

Her fists raised in self-defense as a man swung at her, his face was blurred out. Like a memory that need to be erased. His fist connecting with the side of her head had her seeing stars. The ground shook as swayed before dropping out from underneath her. She looked up just in time to be kicked in the gut and forced onto her back. Bonny laid there wheezing, tears stinging her eyes as she tried to peer into the darkness to see their faces.

They were muddled and blurred, distorted shapes that twisted as laughter echoed around her in various pitches. Like a crowd all laughing at her in the center of an acoustic room. The glint of a knife shone through the inky blackness that crept around her like a heaving mass. She tried to scream but a sweaty hand covered her mouth. It tasted like gas and oil and grime.

The mass leached at her body, drawing away any warmth that there was. There was an agonizing pause before she could feel and hear fabric ripping. That knife had sliced off her shirt before it went to work on her bra. It felt like ice as the metal pressed into her skin. She sucked in air, struggling against him with a whimpering cry. When it carved its way across her abdomen, splitting her open with intent to kill, she screamed against the dirty hand pressed roughly over her lips. Adipose tissue was exposed to the air for a moment before blood welled up and started to weep out of her. It made her head feel dizzy as more and more blood left her body. Terror mixed with panic, her heart thundering in her chest. Was this it? Was she going to die like this? Alone in the dark?

Bonny could barely move at this point, her eyes darting around, trying to see through the darkness. It was thick and heavy and all she could smell was a mixture of iron and gas. It made her want to vomit. Whatever the men were saying sounded like the static off the TV at the end of the broadcast day. The darkness started melting away as she fell through the floor.

There was a lurch, the plane dropping a few hundred feet, waking her with a gasp. Her eyes flew open before screwing up against the bright light. What the hell? Where was she? Bonny's thoughts felt muddled and disjointed. Dazed and confused her fingers clutched at the arm rests with white-knuckled strength. The plane shook, lights flickering as lightning cracked just outside of the windows. Rain pelted the Boeing, sounding like tiny bbs bouncing off the aluminum hull of the plane.

Bullets of sweat dripped down her face as she looked around. No one seemed to be paying her any mind, too focused on the storm and their own problems. She slowly sat up, rubbing her face to get rid of the last vestiges of sleep. It had been a long time since she'd had that happen. Bonny ran her fingers through her hair, her head hanging between her knees as she hunched forward and tried to collect her thoughts. What the hell. Why did she have to have that dream on an airplane of all places? She felt like she'd been trapped in a tin can.

Her mouth felt like sandpaper, what time was it? She couldn't have been out long. It was just a three hour long flight. Maybe this storm was slowing them down. The fasten seatbelts light flickered to life as the plane was rocked by turbulence once more. Bonny quickly buckled it up before looking at her phone.

There was line after line of messages from Hyperdrive, and they made the color drain from her face, what little there was left of it after her nightmare.

Are you certain? She finally replied.

Yes. There's a Seeker following us.

"Shit." She whispered under her breath, glancing around before quickly putting in a call to Colonel Lennox. It went to voicemail. "Um, hi there. It's Bonny. Just wanted to let you know we're going to be delayed. There may or may not be something tailing us in this storm. SO. Please keep an eye to the sky for us? Thanks, bye." She tried to avoid saying what the real issue was. She hoped the man was smart enough to get it.

Hype, can you tell what this bogey is doing out here? She typed out swiftly, her thumbs flying across the phone.

Not really. The signature is strong and close by. Maybe it's just a scout?

Yeah. A scout. Flying near us. On our way to N.E.S.T. Makes perfect sense. She glanced back around the cabin, Maybe there's a Decepticon pawn here..?

Unlikely. But possible. Just relax. We're 30 minutes out from the airport now, all we have to do is make it there.

It's going to try and kill us, Hype.

No. It won't. You're too valuable.

Bonny scoffed softly at that, her valuable? No way. If anything she was expendable. Nothing she was doing was going to be life changing. She knew Hype inside and out, but that didn't mean she knew everything about their race. She shifted so that she could see out the window better. She could faintly see the lights of another aircraft. The hairs on her arms stood on end as she watched it.

Who or what was that thing? Maybe it was just another plane with passengers heading to the same airport. Yeah. That's what it was. She puffed out her cheeks before breathing out in a long sigh. This was… she was going to have a panic attack on this airplane. Her heart was slamming against her chest. Her head pounded as her blood pressure skyrocketed. Breathing in rapidly did nothing to help, it just made it worse. And forget trying to focus. It was getting harder and harder to string together so much as a thought. Her phone started buzzing, and there was the sound of two jets screaming towards the airplane.

Bonny fumbled with the phone, struggling to answer in her panic, "H-Hello?!" Her voice wavered.

"Calm down, it's Colonel Lennox, I got your message. We're intercepting your flight now and forcing a landing. You'll be driven to N.E.S.T. by some of our top forces." He explained, though there was an edge to his voice.

"Right, that makes me feel soooo safe." She grumbled, starting to hyperventilate, "Why is this happening right now? Oh my god!" She dropped her phone as the plane lurched in the air and dropped at least a thousand feet before starting to descend properly. "Oh my god we're going to die."

She clutched at the seat, pressing back into it. She could hear the other planes closing in as she squeezed her eyes shut. This wasn't happening. She was still having a horrible nightmare. Bonny stayed frozen in place until the wheels touched down. What looked like a SWAT team descended on the plane and grabbed her up. They were rough with her in their haste to get her out of danger.

She yelped, her eyes flying open, "Wait, wait! The carrier, grab it too. I can't leave Hype on here." One of the soldiers had it in his hand. He radioed ahead some military jargon, pushing them onward and off of the plane.

Bonny was quickly escorted into an ambulance. She looked so confused as she was pushed into it. A familiar sound, on a larger scale, had her turning around to witness the jet that had been trailing her plane shift into a Decepticon. Her eyes went wide. "Get in! NOW!" A stern voice ordered from inside of an ambulance, but it didn't actually come from anyone. It came from the vehicle itself.

Scrambling in she quickly snatched Hyperdrive from the soldier before the doors slammed shut. A panicked noise escaped her as she tore open the crate to get him out of it, "Hype?! Hype are you okay?!"

"Fresh fucking hell… I'm fine!" She cuddled him close once he shifted, "Quit that! Stop coddling me!"

"Humor me for like five minutes while I process this okay? Giant alien jet nearly killed us." She kept the Cybertronian close like he was a child or a toy. Trying to control her breathing. Bonny yelped as a man materialized in a shower of blue sparks. "AH JESUS! What the fuck?!"

"Chill out, Bonny, it's just a holoform. I've told you about those." The robot in her arms squirmed.

"Yeah but I've never seen it!" She whined, inching away from the man that was getting too close for comfort. 

"Please, remain calm, my name is Ratchet. I'm a medic." He very softly took her hand, "Would you like something for your nerves? You're trembling and your heart rate is highly elevated. You're going to have a panic attack."

She slowly started to pull her hand from his, feeling awkward and uncomfortable. Especially with how concerned he looked. He had a stern face, wide jawed with a neatly trimmed beard. It was scarlet, too bright to be anything natural. His hair was silver with that same red streaked through it. His nearly neon blue eyes were hidden under a furrowed brow.

He was so handsome it made her uncomfortable to touch him. Especially with how it made her heart skip a beat. "I-I'm fine. I really am. Just… Just let me calm down some, please?"

Hyperdrive started snickering at her face. Her face started to turn red as she looked at her tiny friend, "Shut. Up." She smiled at him, biting out her words. He was in so much trouble.

"Why should I? You should see your face, you're turning so red." Hype laughed even after she started shaking him.

"Shut up you bucket of bolts, ohmygod, you are the most embarrassing thing in the world. If you had a windpipe I would strangle you!" He just kept laughing at her and her red face. Bonny was mortified that he was doing this in front of a random 'bot they'd only just been introduced to.

"I think that's enough from the both of you." His stern voice causing her to freeze up a little.

"Uh… sorry. I just…" Bonny started, trying to find the words to explain herself.

He shook his head with a smirk. "Hush now. It's fine. Just relax." He gave her head a pat like she was a small child.

She started to say something but thought better of it, turning her face from him out of sheer embarrassment. Who did he think he was that he could just… do that to her?! Bonny huffed a little bit, setting Hype down. She only half listened to whatever they were saying, looking out the back window at the smoke in the distance as she lost herself in her own brain. How fast were they going to get away from that Seeker? The smoke and flames was rapidly getting farther away from them.

"-Bonny? Bonny are you listening at all?"

"Huh?" She turned her head to see them both looking at her, "No. No I was not. What did you say?"

Ratchet shook his head, "I said that I'm the one you'll be working under at N.E.S.T. headquarters. I needed someone with an intimate knowledge of our race and digits small enough to do delicate work. That's why I chose you."

"Did you have a long list of candidates to choose from?" She raised a brow. There couldn't be that many out there that had the chance to actually meet a Cybertronian, much less study them.

"...not… exactly." He rubbed the back of his head. "You were… the only option, truth be told. And when I heard you were a human I was reluctant to even consider it. But seeing the work you had submitted to your college… it made me change my mind. You're very intelligent. For a human."

"If that was supposed to be a compliment it went over my head." There was a half smile on her face as she spoke dryly. Half amused by the reluctance of him. While he was still handsome the shock of it had worn off quickly. "What time is it?"

"2254 hours." He responded, his posture relaxing at the change of conversation.

"How long is it till we reach the base?"

"Approximately an hour."

She stressed her hands together, glancing back out the window. "Do you know… if everyone is alright?... back there I mean."

"I don't have a status update on them yet. But they are highly trained soldiers. Their mission was to defend you and they have done that." Hyperdrive crawled into her lap and lounged there, his head laid on her chest. He was very much like a young child.

"Was it worth them risking their lives though? Anyone can study your species like I have. What makes me so special?"

"Because you not only studied us, but understood what you were seeing. Humans do not always trust their minds when coming to conclusions over such matters. I've noticed that during my time on Earth."

"That's only because we've had it drilled into our brains that certain things just aren't possible. And when they're proved possible we try to deny it to keep our realities in check." She shrugged, picking at a loose strand of fabric on the hem of her t-shirt. "I just happen to believe what my eyes see. Especially when it was a robotic life form that fell into my backyard and left a giant flaming hole there."

"You're still bent out of shape about that?"

"Yes! You destroyed my birdbath. I really liked that thing."

Ratchet started laughing, "How long have you been around humans Hyperdrive? You act just like them now."

Bonny watched as the mini-bot puffed up indignantly, "I do not!"

"Do so!" Bonny teased him, sticking her tongue out at him.

"That's not fair! You're both ganging up on me!" He whined like a petulant child.

"He was a real asshole when I found him, but he was so broken up he had to trust me so I could fix him. It was rough at first. I didn't know what I was doing, I didn't know how to even start helping him." She rubbed his head when he huffed again, "It took me a few weeks to get him stable. I've been working the kinks out of my repair job ever since."

"Give yourself some credit, boss. I can transform again, and I've still got all my servos." He scoffed at her.

"Yeah but it's like your sensors in your left servo still aren't responding the way they should. It's got to be something with the circuitry but it could also be that the connection is just too tight. I'm kinda scared to do anything else to it while you're still healing."

"I'm fine. Really. It's a billion times better than it was. Idiot. Could have done better with the fucking paint though."

She pinched the bridge of her nose, "Seriously? That's what you decide to complain about?"

"You both argue like children." Ratchet spoke dryly, a humorless look on his face.

Bonny pursed her lips as she looked at him. he was kind of an ass too. Maybe gruff was a better term. "How would you like for us to behave then? This is really just… how we are."

"You could behave like adults rather than sparklings for a start. We have a serious job to do."

"Don't you think I know that? We're just… I'm just coping that way. Making a joke out of life to get through it. Though it seems you don't understand it. Seeing as you have a hardass personality." His eye seemed to twitch as his holoform vanished in a shower of blue sparks. Bonny leaned back, relaxing now that the holoform wasn't staring her down. They had to get through this or else they'd be an even larger target for the Decepticons. Had she actually woken up from her nightmare or was it just still going? Maybe she died on that plane, killed by a Decepticon, and now she'd never wake up.


End file.
